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( Nonbaell) GcoLL-INS, I y DVRED'GING' .APPARATUS- No. 501,870. PatentedJuly 18; 1893.

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No. 501,870. Patented July 18, LBS-3.'

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CALE G. COLLINS, OF l/VOODSBRG, ASSIGNOR TO CALVIN AMORY STEVENS, OF NEWYORK, N. Y.

DREDGING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,870, dated July 18,1893.

Application led September l0, 1892. Serial No. 445,486. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALEB GRoziER CoL- LINS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Woodsburg, inthe county of .Queens and Statefof NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DredgingApparatus, of which the following is a specification'sufcient to enableothers skilled in the art to which the invention appertains to 1o Vmakeand usethe same.

My improvements relate to the class of apparatus in which steam vacuum.pumps are utilized in connection with the operations of dredging orexcavating spoil, as in my application for patent dated May 27, 1892,Serial No. 434,534, in which case however ordinary means are resorted tofor detaching and lifting the spoil, and the speed and capacity of theapparatus are limited thereby.

zo The distinguishing feature of my present invention consists in soconstructing the bow of the vessel upon which the vacuum pump and otherpart-s of the apparatus are mounted that it may be used to detach andreceive the z5 spoil and conduct it directly to the vacuum cylinderwithout the intervention of hoiste,

dippers, endless chains and bucketsor other intermediate appliancesheretofore resorted to. 4In fact the bow of the vessel itself acts 3o asan enlarged scoop or shovel which digs into4 and under the spoil to beremoved, the vessel being forced .forward as the detached spoil isdisposed of through the steam vacuum chamber by which it is expelledfrom the vessel. The practical advantages attained by this novel methodof dredging or excavating are important. Great economy of labor isveffected in the handling and disposal of the spoil, While the operationof the apparatus 4o may be carried on continuously and much more rapidlythan heretofore. A wide evenly graded floor or channel is left in thepath of the apparatus which isa feature of special importance in certainkinds of work.-

My invention also includes secondary fea-A tures in the construction andarrangement of parts. i'

In conjunction with the 'scoop or shovel Vshaped bow I employ hydraulicjets for loos- 5o ening up the spoil when necessary and wasliing itwithinvthe area of suction exerted by the steam vacuum cylinder. Thesejets are directed against the spoil from above to detach and start thespoil, and are also directed centrally from the inner sides of the scoopor 'shovel in order to agitato the spoil and forward it to the vacuumcylinder suction conduit in the most favorable condition for passagethrough the apparatus.

My invention also includes the employment 6o of wings orextensions inconnection with the scoop or shovel bow, which are utilized undercertain conditions, to enlarge or contract more or less, as well as toinclose, the area covered by the bow, so that the loosened spoil may notescape but rather will be directed within the influence of the hydraulicjets and of the suction of the pump.

Another feature of my invention in this connection consists in anadjustable shield 7o which is used Where the spoil is to beremoved fromany considerable distance below the surface of the wat-er,-the shieldbeing for the purpose of excluding the main body of water above from thedirect influence of the 7 5 vacuum pump, and to dellect the intlowingcurrents of Water, and concentrate them upon and among the loosenedspoil. Taken in conjunction, these vertical wings or deflectors and thehorizontal shield may be made to vir- 8o tually control the character orconsistency of the charges of spoil presented to the vacuum apparatus byexcluding the exterior water more or less from the scoop bow. f

I provide for submerging or raising the scoop bow with the rest of thehull, more or less, by means of water admitted to, or pumped from,suitable water compartments.

I am thus enabled to accurately adjust the lower edge of the scoop bowagainst and un- 9o der a bank of spoil to be removed, and to trim orbalance the scoop bow and hull horizontally, a feature of importancewhen it lis understood that my apparatus produces a finished evenlygraded channel at Yone operaltion or passage.

.When the nature of the spoil to be removed renders it desirable, Iemploy in conjunction with the scoop bow of the apparatus suitablegrappling and hoisting mechanism 1oo for the extraction of heavybowldersand possible obstructions from the spoil in front of the scoop bow. Thisis for the removal of obstacles that cannot be broken up and reducedeither by the hydraulic jets, or by the rotary cutter and agitator whichI employ within the scoop bow when operating against earth of a compact,tenacious character. Ordinarily the powerful hydraulic jet directed overthe scoop bow and against the material in front thereof is sufficient toreduce even the more refractory earths to a condition suitable fortransmission through the vacuum apparatus; but if the spoil resists suchtreat" ment, or onlyY partially yields to it, the revolving cutterpositively detaches the material, breaks up the larger masses washeddown by the hydraulic jet, and agitates the resulting admixture into asemi-liquid mass which is readily sucked in .through the receivingconduit by reason of the vacuum within the chamber.

In the accompanying drawings I illustrate more or less diagrammaticallythe combination and construction of parts essential in operating undermy invention, although I do not wish to confine myself strictly to anyspecial form and arrangement, since various modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit and intent of myinvention.

Figure l, is a sectional elevation of the front or' bow end of the floator vessel upon which `the operative parts of the apparatus areslipported. Fig. 2, is a similar view of the rear portion of the same.Fig. 3, is a plan ofthe bow end of the vessel with parts arranged asshown in Fig. l. Fig. 4, is a sectional plan of the bow end of thevessel, showing a portion of the deck and engine thereon for actuatingthe rotary cutter. Fig. 5, is a front view of the bow of the boat, withthe rotary cutter and adjustable shield or defiector in place.

Fig. 6, is a similar View in which the rotary cutter and adjustableshield are omitted. Fig. 7, is a sectional elevation of the bow of theboat arranged simply for the excavation of sand or other very lightspoil.

The main body of the float, scow or other vessel A, upon which theoperative parts are mounted may be of any ordinary or desiredconstruction, the bow B, being the part which diers essentially fromprior structures of this class. This bow B, beyond the bulk-head a, isconstructed after the manner of ascoop or shovel, having outwardlyflaring side walls b, b, and bottom b. These bottom and side walls arepreferably made of metal, and are double, soas to form a chamber C,between theV metallic plates,which at the forward ends come together toform the comparatively sharp cutting edges c, c.

The space C, between the plates forming the shovel bow B, is sealed soas to create (excepting for the discharge openings c', c,) a watertightcompartment into whichwater maybe forced under pressure when desired,through a pipe or pipes d, from a pump D, shown in Fig. 2;

The funnel-shaped mouth e, of the suction pipe E, which leads to thevacuum cylinder F, opens through the bulk-head a, into the space betweenthe side walls b, b, and bottom b', or into an extension b2, thereof, asshown in the drawings, formed by the parallel side walls b3, b3, andbottom b4, from which the flaring side walls b, b, and bottom b extendoutward and forward. v

The vacuum chamber F, may be of any appropriate construction, preferablyof that set forth in my last application for patent, Serial No. 445,070,filed September 5, 1892. It is provided with a discharge conduit G,extending usually to the rear of, and beyond, the vessel to the point ofdischarge, through which the spoil is ejected, and with an inlet gatevalve c', and an outlet gate valve g. These gate valves e', g, are alsopreferably, though not necessarily, of the construction set forth in mylast application above referred to, in which case they are operated bysteam derived from a boiler H, (shown in Fig. 2) through the main steamsupply pipe h, and branch pipes h', h2, the steam being controlled, andthe gates operated, through the medium of levers e2, and f', connectedwith throttle valves attached to the steam cylinders e3, and g2. Themain steam supply pipe h, also supplies steam, through the valve f, tothe vacuum chamber F, which is supplied with water from the pump D,through the medium of the pipes d, and f', and valves f2.

The function and operation of the vacuum apparatus is substantially asfollows. A suitable quantity of steam having been admitted to the vacuumchamber through the valve f, the latter inclosed and the valve f2, inthe water pipe f, is opened admitting sufficient water to spray andcondense the steam and thereby create a partial vacuum in the chamber F.The water valve f2, being closed, steam is admitted to the cylinder e3,through the throttlevalve controlled by the lever e2, in such manner asto raise the gate of the valveI e', thus admitting water and spoil fromthe scoop B, the admixture being driven in -by atmosphereic pressure todestroy the vacuum within the chamber F. 'lhe throttle valve to thesteam cylinder e3, is now reversed by means of the levervcQ, and thegate of the valve e', closed, when the throttle valve to the steamcylinder g2, is turned by the lever g', to admit steam to raisev thegate of the discharge valve g, and steam is again ad- `mitted to theupper part of the'vacuum chamber through the valve f, in sufficientquantity to expel the charge through the discharge conduit G, when thegate in the discharge valve is closed, and the whole operation repeated.

It will be seen that the mouth e, of the suction conduit E, mustnecessarily be submerged more or less before the apparatus can beoperated, and it is also necessary to submerge the whole vessel more orless in order to adjust the shovel bow B, to the requirements of thework to'be done'. This I accomplish .by

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the branch pipes y, j, and valves j', j. By the manipulation of thesevalves t', c', and the pump, J, J, the edge c, of the bottom b', of the`shovel bow B, may be made to impinge against the spoil to be removed ata greater or less depth, as may be desired; and by a plurality `of suchwater compartm ents I', RIS, the barge or iioat may be trimmed orbalanced to compensate for variations in the distributionV of weight,dac., or changesin the tide, the. It will be noticed by reference toFigs. l, and '7, that the outward iiaring of the bottom b', of theshovel B, insures sufficient clearance of water space below the bottomof the vessel; and in a similar manner the Haring of the shields b, b,insures the clearance of the sides of the vessel, so that it ispracticable for the apparatus as a whole to be forced through a solidbank of spoil, since the channel it excavates in advancing is wider thanthe body of the vessel, the sharp edges c,- c, c, of the scoop alonecoming in contact with the sides and bottom of the channel while in theact of Acreating it.

When engaged in the reduction and removal of-mud, silt or sand and otherspoil of a light nature the shovel bow may readily be advanced withoutthe aid of various accessories desirable where compact material is to beremoved, or where rocks, bowlders, and other obstructions areencountered. Thus in Figs. 6 and 7, I have Vshown the scoop-bow B, as'adapted simply for the removal of sand, mud and otherlforins of spoileasily detached and mixed with water, whereas in the other iiguresrample provision is made for rendering the shovel-bow B, effective wherethe material to be removed is ofa hard, tenacious character, andobstructions are to be encountered and removed.

`The float or vessel A, and consequently the shovel-bow B, is forcedforward by any suit-. able or well known means, and I donot confinemyself in this respect tothe means shown by way of illustration in thedrawings, in which a spud K, is represented as driven'into the groundbelow waterv at an 'angle insuch position as to rest against a bearinga', at'the stern of the vessel 'A, so that bysuitable tackle k,connecting the upper part ofthe spud withV the vessel the upper end ofthe spud may be gradually hauled forward into a .perpendicularposition,thereby movingthe vessel A, forward bodily and forcing the shovelbowinto the spoil. In lieu of this convtrivance. hydraulic jacks orotherappropriatevmeans may be Vused to effect the advance of the iioator vessel; and under certain conditions a screw propeller at the sternof the vessel would transmit suflicient power to force and hold theshovel bow to its position and work. Y

In connection with the scoop bow I employ one or more powerful hydraulicjets for the purpose of loosening and washing the spoil down into theshovel orscoop B, as indicated in Figs. l, and 7, in each of which astream of water is represented as directed Lagainst a bankof spoil Lfrom a nozzle m, which is supplied with water under pressure by pump D,through the medium of the pipe m', and valve m2. One or more of thesehydraulic jets arranged above the spoil, either alone or in conjunctionwith the series of jets e,which eject water-.under pressure fromthesides and bottom of the shovel, are sufiicient ordinarily to .effectthedisintegration of sand, mud' and ordinary spoil, and its admixturewith the' water in sunciently small portions to pass'freely through thesuction pipe of the vacuum chamber and discharge conduit. I/Vherehowever the material to be reduced is more coherent and tenaciousIemploya rotating cutter N, or similar device for positively detachingand disintegrating the spoil. This rotary cutter may consistof a seriesof bladesv E. The rotating cutter N, is'attached `to a shaft n, mountedupon the outer ends of the arms n', fn', which are pivotally connectedat their inner ends with the shaft O, mounted in .the side walls b3,ofthe scoop B. This shaft O, which is mounted in stationary bearings, isprovided with a sprocket wheel o, which is connected bythe endlessysprocket chain p, with the sprocket wheel p', which derives its motionfrom a steam engine P, or other source of power. Thecounter 'shaft O,carries twov other sprocket wheels o', o2, which transmit the motionofthe said countershaft O, toA the cutter shaft "n, through the mediumof the chains q, q, which engage with the sprocket wheels n2, n2,onthe-cutter shaft n. Itwill thus be seen that the shaft fn, and cutterN, may be raised and lowered upon the countershaft as a fulcrum withoutinterfering with their rotation. This may be accomplished by a simplehoist consisting of a rope r, and windlass R,or by other suitable orwell known means. I am thus enabled to raise or' lower the rotatingcutter along the .face ofI the material tofbe removed, and to ltherebyquickly and `conveniently detach and reduce the most refractory earthsto a condition in which they can be passed through the vacuum apparatus.

A shield S, is pivotally supported between for,

the side walls b3, b3, of the scoop B, above the counter shaft O. ,Thisshield can be raised and lowered upon its pivots by a rope t, and hoistT, or equivalent mechanism, and is designed to exclude the body of waterabove it from the space below, so that the main body of water rushing into take the place of that drawn in through the mouth c, of the suctionpipe E, must necessarily pass over, around and through the rotatingcutter N, thereby preventing the escape of detached spoil and aiding inits comminution. Were it not for the use of this adjustable shield incases where the spoil is heavy and difficult to move, the vacuum pumpwould suck in and transfer such a large proportion of water as to renderthe operation wasteful both of time and power. Of a similar character tothe horizontal shield S, are the vertical side wings U, U, pivotallysupported upon the vertical guide rods u, u, extending between bracketsu', u', u2, u2, secured to the hull. The side wings are secured to theguide rods u, u, by straps us, us, or other devices which will admit ofthe raising or lowering of the wings and of their being turned at angleswith relation to the side walls b, b, of the scoop bow B. The wings U,U, are adj usted and held in position vertically by means of suitablehoisting mechanism, that shown in the drawings consisting of a suspenderrope fu, which passes over sheave fu, upon the crane V, and from thenceto the windlass u2, which is operated by the spur wheel c3, pinion @4,and crank v5. The desired inclination of the wings U, U, with relationto the sides of the shovel is effected and maintained by means of staysa4, a4, which are belayed to cleats a5, M5. The wings may thus bereadily adjusted both vertically and laterally to thevaryingrequirements of actual use, the object being to regulate the areabrought under the iniiuence of the currents of water flowing inwardtoward the suction pipe e, E, and to cause such currents to do eifectiveWork in carrying into the shovel spoil that would otherwise settleoutside of it. The vertical adj nstment of the wings U, U, permits oftheir lower edges being kept in contact with the higher parts of thespoil in front of theedges c, of the side walls b, so that the wingssupplement the shield S, in excluding superiiuous water from the scoopB.

A derrick W, may be mounted upon the deck above the scoop bow B, whenthe apparls is to be used in situations in which bowlders and otherpossible obstructions are liable to be encountered. In such case a clamshell dredge, or grappling tongs w', or an equivalent device, issuspended from the boom w, of the derrick W, by the rope 102, and israised andlowered to dispose of obstacles too large for the vacuu mapparatus by means of the winding apparatus represented by the spurwheel w3, pinion co4, and crank 1,05.

It is obvious that if desired the scoop bow B, and the hull A, may bemade large enough to accommodate two or more distinct vacuum cylindersystems having suction pipes E, e, opening into a common shovel, andthat thus a comparatively wide channel can be advantageously excavatedby a single passage of the apparatus. The scoop-bow leaves the bed ofthe channel finished and graded.

While the apparatus may be used effectively without the WatercompartmentC, in the bottom and sides of the scoop B, the jets c', c',are very useful in eecting a thorough reduction of the spoil, to asemi-fluid condition, prior to its entrance into the mouth e, of thesuction pipe E.

Instead of the water jacket C, formed with the perforations c', c', itis obvious that a series of pipes or nozzles may be substituted andarranged to thus inject jets of water under pressure laterally into thescoop B, with a like result.

I am aware that it has been proposed to build a pocket or compartment infront of the bulk head of a dredge for the reception of spoil which isto be dumped therein from ordinary dredging appliances, as in Patent No.479,375, issued to J. M. Miller July 19, 1892, in which it is alsoproposed to use vacuum pumps for discharging the spoil. This however isnot the equivalent of my invention in which ordinary dredging appliancesare dispensed with and my scoop bow detaches and receives the spoilunder the Water line. The scoop bow is in no sense a pocket, since it isentirely open in front, and its front edges are formed and designed topenetrate the material to be removed.

The horizontal shield S is described hereinbefore as compelling most ofthe water drawn in to pass through and around the rotary cutter N, but Ido not confine myself to its use in conjunction with the cutter. It canbe used equally as well where the cutter is not wanted, as in mud, silt,and sand, in which case it may be used to contract the entrance to thelower part of the scoop in such manner that the water in seekingentrance will be compelled to carry with it a large proportion of thespoil between the outer end of the shield and the bottom of the scoop.

I am aware that in forming subterranean tunnels the idea of pumpingdiluted material from in front of a sealed excavating shield is old. Myinvention however relates exclusively to dredging and excavatingoperations performed in, and under the surface of the water, and theparts employed are incorporated in a portable dredge boat. I do not seekto cover broadly the feature of pumping in spoil from an excavatingshield through a sealed partition; but

, What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. A dredge boat formed with an open scoop bow in front ot' itsbulk-head, with a pump having a suction pipe opening into said scoop bowthrough said bulk-head and with means for forcing the iioat forwardsubstantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

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2. Adredge boat formed with an open scoop bow in front of its bulk-headhaving sides and bottom fiarin g outward so that the front edges of thescoop bow will cut a channel wider and deeper than the hull of the boatwith a pump havlng a suction pipe opening into said scoop bow throughsaid bulk-head, and with means for forcing the iioat forwardsubstantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

3. In av dredge boat the combination of a scoop bow in front of thebulk-head, a pump formed with a suction pipe opening into said scoop bowthrough said bulk-head, a water compartment formed in the walls of saidscoop bow, the inner walls of said scoop bow formed with perforationswhich open into said water compartment means for supplying water underpressure to said water compartment, and means for forcing the boatforward substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

4. In a dredge boat, the combination of a scoop bow formed in front ofthe bulk-head, a pump with a suction pipe opening through said bulk-headinto said scoop bow, means for 1nj ecting j ets of water laterally intosaid scoop bow, and means for forcing the boat forward for the purposeand substantially in the manner described.

5. In a dredge boat, the combination of a scoop bow formed in front ofthe bulk-head, a pump with a suction pipe opening through the saidbulk-head into the said scoop bow, one or more water tight compartmentsformed 1n the hull of the boat, means for admitting or discharging waterfrom said water tight compartments, and means for forcing the boatforward, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

6. In a dredge boat, the combination of a scoop bow formed in front ofthe bulk-head, a pump with a suction pipe opening through the saidbulk-head in to the said scoop bow, vertically adjustable wings orextensions attached to the exterior side walls of the said scoop bow,and means for forcing the boat forward, for the purpose andsubstantially in the manner described.

7. In a dredge boat, the combination of a scoop bow formed in front ofthe bulk-head, a pump with a suction pipe opening through the saidbulk-head into the said scoop bow, wings or extension pieces attached tothe exterior side walls of the said scoop bow, means for adjusting theangle of the said wings or extension pieces with relation to the sidesof the scoop bow, and means forforcing the boat forward, for the purposeand sub-V stantially in the manner described.

8. In a dredge boat, the combination of a scoop bow formed in front ofthe bulk-head, a pump with a suction pipe opening through the saidbulk-head into the said scoop-bow, a horizontal shield within the scoopbow for separating the water above from the lower portion of the scoop,and means for forcing the boat forward, substantially in the manner andfor the purpose described.

9. In a dredge boat, the combination of a scoop bow formed in front ofthe bulk-head, a pump with a suction pipe opening through the saidbulk-head, into the said scoop bow, a horizontal shield pivoted withinthe scoop bow, means for adjusting the said pivoted shield vertically,and means for forcing the boat forward substantially in the manner andfor the purpose described.

10. In a dredge boat, the combination of a scoop bow formed in front ofthe bulk-head, a pump with a suction pipe opening through the saidbulk-head into the said scoop bow, a horizontally rotating cutter withinthe scoop bow, means for forcibly rotating the said cutter and means forforcing the boat forward, f

substantially in the manner and for the purpose described. ll. In adredge boat, the combination of a scoop bow formed in front of thebulk-head, a pump with a suction pipe opening through said bulk-headinto said scoop bow, a horizontally rotating cutter within the scoopbow, means for forcibly rotating the said cutter, means for adj ust-'ingthe said cutter vertically, and means for forcing the boat forwardsubstantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

l2. In 'a dredge boat, the combination of a scoop bow formed in front ofthe bulk-head, a pump with a suction pipe opening through said bulk-headinto said scoop bow,means for projecting jets of water under pressurefrom above the said scoop bow against the material in and in front ofthe said scoop bow, and means for forcing the boat forward substantiallyin the manner and for the purpose described.

13. In a dredge boat, thecombination of a IOS scoop bow formed in frontof the bulk-head,

a pump with a suction pipe opening through said bulk-head into saidscoop bow, a grapple and hoist for raising obstructions out of the scoopbow, and means for forcing the boat forward, substantially in the mannerand for the purpose described. CALEB G. COLLINS.

Witnesses:

D. W. GARDNER, GEORGE WILLIAM MIATT.

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